Shaving product dispenser container with mirror

ABSTRACT

An instrument for dispensing a product used for shaving, typically shaving a face, is disclosed. The product consists of a container body and a container lid. The container body at least partially encloses the shaving product and contains a mechanism to advance the shaving product towards an at least partially opened top of the container body. The container body typically has walls, at least one of which is flat and is adapted to receive a mirror or reflective surface thereon. With a mirror or reflective surface thereon, the shave dispenser may be used in a shower with the mirror on the container body being used as a reflective surface for the user to properly apply the shave product to his face.

This regular patent application claims the benefit of and priority fromand incorporates by reference all of the following: U.S. ProvisionalPatent Application No. 61/393,188, filed Oct. 14, 2010; U.S. ProvisionalPatent Application Ser. No. 61/406,811, filed Oct. 26, 2010; and U.S.Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/413,046, filed Nov. 12, 2010.

FIELD OF INVENTION

Containers containing personal care products for which a mirror istypically used in the application or use of the product.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

People are busier than ever. Multitasking is common. It's not uncommon(for speed and/or convenience) for a man to combine shaving with bathingin the shower or bath. Whether it's his face, head or entire body,shaving in the shower saves time, resources (water), and eliminates theneed to clean a dirty sink. The same can be said for a teenager wishingto apply a product such as a facial scrub in the shower.

People who use personal care products (in the bath or shower) sacrificewhen the availability of a mirror is limited or restricted. Mirrors aretypically made of glass or plastic which, when combined with theslippery environment of a bath or shower, create a potential hazard.Most mirrors are separate, hand-held instruments. Once used, it must bestored in the shower amongst the bottles shampoo, shave cream and soap.

Applicant provides a novel way to combine the convenience of a mirrorand packaging of the personal care product. For example, a containerwould contain a mirror or reflective film surface on the side of thepackage. Combining the mirror with the packaging would add convenienceand safety to the user's experience.

Applicant further provides in a container having a shaving gel orgel-like substance, a novel shape of a dispenser head. Applicantprovides a novel container shape for a shaving stick of the pushup type,a novel concave shaped dispensing head. This novel shaped dispensinghead for a pushup dispenser provides a more efficient spread andcoverage of the shape composition, (gel, gel oil or otherwise), on theuser's skin surface.

In one embodiment, no mirror is used, but the product upper surface,upper lip and/or top is concave.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A shave system comprising a container having a body with an upper lipdefining an at least partly open top, a front wall, a rear wall, twoside walls, one of which includes a generally flat portion, and a baseis provided. The container includes an interior. A lid is provided forremovably engaging the container walls so as to removably cover the atleast partly open top. A product for application to the face of a userat least partly engages the interior of the body. A product movementmeans moves the product upward in the body responsive to manualoperation. A mirror engages the generally flat portion of one of thefront or rear walls of the body of the container.

The mirror is non-fogging. A label may be dimensioned to removably coverat least part of the mirror. The label is typically a peel off labelwhich will leave no residue on the mirror.

The product is a solid. The product may also be semi-solid and issufficiently viscous so as not to flow through the cover openings exceptthrough manual operation of the product movement means. The product mayhave a concave upper surface. The upper lip may include concave walls.The top may include a concave cover having a multiplicity of openingstherein. The product movement means may be a push plate or a base plate,a threaded rod, and a knob.

A member is adapted to releasably engage the body or the lid to avertical wall, which member is a suction cup. A razor is provided,further including means to releasably engage a razor. The means toreleasably engage the razor is, in one embodiment, an elastic band. Themeans to releasably engage the razor may be a hinged loop. The sidewalls may be concave and the body may be comprised of plastic orsilicon.

A novel peel-off label has a reflective surface on the undersidethereof. The peel-off label typically has indicia, trademarks written orother information on an outer face, visible from a product to which itis attached. The underside of the label typically includes an adhesiveto releasably and removably attach it to a face of a mirror orreflective surface. The reflective surface is fixedly attached to acontainer.

In a preferred embodiment, the removable label and the reflectivesurface have similar length and width dimensions, such that theremovable label portion substantially covers the reflective layer, whichis itself attached to the surface of the container.

In an alternate preferred embodiment, at least part of the reflectivesurface underlying the label may be visible to the consumer.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIGS. 1 and 2 are front perspective and rear elevational views ofApplicant's device.

FIGS. 3 and 4 are top and bottom elevational views of Applicant'sdevice.

FIGS. 5, 6, and 7 are all side elevational views of three embodiments ofApplicant's device.

FIGS. 8 and 9 are bottom elevational views of embodiments in FIGS. 6 and7 of Applicant's device set forth herein.

FIGS. 10, 11, and 12 are rear, side, and front elevational views,respectively, of a “toggle” body embodiment of Applicant's devicedesigned to releasably couple with a disposable razor or other shavingdevice, without the disposable razor coupled therewith.

FIGS. 13, 14, and 15 are rear, side, and front elevational views withthe disposable razor incorporated therewith.

FIGS. 16, 17, and 18 are a squeezable to be embodiment of Applicant'sdevice, including means for coupling a disposable razor therewith andrear, side, and front elevational views.

FIGS. 19, 20, and 21 are the views of FIGS. 16, 17, and 18 above, with arazor engaged therewith.

FIGS. 22, 23, 24, 25, and 25A are views of further novel embodiments ofApplicant's various devices disclosed herein. More specifically, thesefigures illustrate, among other things, a novel concave contoureddispenser top or head, as best seen in FIGS. 22 and 23. They alsoillustrate a “flip-out” razor holder.

FIGS. 26 and 27 illustrate front and rear perspective views of anembodiment of Applicant's device, including two variations of a razorholder, as well as a suction cup to retain the dispenser to a verticalsupport surface.

FIG. 28 illustrates a contoured dispenser cover top apart from the restof the container in perspective view.

FIG. 28A illustraes a bottom perspective view of a push plate for movingproduct upward in the container body.

FIGS. 29, 30, and 31 are front, side elevational and bottom views of anembodiment with the razor engaged therewith.

FIGS. 32 and 33 are front elevational and side cross-sections showing aproduct movement means.

FIG. 34 illustrates use of an embodiment of Applicant's device asengaging a vertical side wall of a shower stall.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

-   -   10 Container    -   12 Container lid    -   14 Container front label    -   14 a Container front wall    -   15 Container body    -   16 Container bottom    -   17 Container side wall    -   18 Product push plate or twist knob or other product movement        means    -   19 Container side wall    -   20 Container back label    -   20 a Container back wall    -   21 Product    -   21 a Upper surface    -   22 Mirror or reflective material, non-fogging surface    -   23 Upper lip of body    -   24 Convex protruding surface    -   26 Concave indent surface    -   27 Push plate    -   28 Flat surface    -   29 Twist knob/rod/plate    -   30 Indents    -   32 Molded groove    -   34 Cutaway section    -   36 Disposable razor    -   37 Contoured dispenser cover top    -   38 Holes or perforations    -   39 Shaver holder    -   40 Finger indent    -   41 Hole for shaver    -   42 Shaver    -   47 Product push plate    -   48 Elastic band    -   50 Hinged foldout loop mechanism    -   52 Suction cup

FIGS. 1-9 illustrate embodiments for Applicant's novel container 10,which embodiments include a removable top 12 and container bottom 16.The cross sectional shape of a container body 15 is made ofsubstantially round, oval, or flat surfaces or combinations thereof(FIGS. 3, 4, 8 and 9), but typically at least one wall has a generallyflat portion adapted to receive a mirror 22 or similar reflective sheet.

Applicant's system includes a container 10, which container may have acontainer front wall 14 a, a container back wall 20 a, and containerside walls 17 and 19. The container front wall, rear wall, and two sidewalls in cross-section in one embodiment are generally rectangular.Container 10 may include a container bottom 16 for engaging body 15.Container bottom 16 may be configured to receive product movement means18, which may be a product push plate 47 (see FIG. 28A) or a twistknob/rod/plate combination 29 (see FIGS. 32 and 33).

A product 21 is provided for at least partially engaging the interior ofbody 15 and the product movement means 18 provides upward movement inresponse to manual operation of the product movement means.

Container body 15 contains an at least partially open top for product 21to emerge therefrom. Top may be completely open for receiving theproduct therethrough as seen in FIG. 1, or may include a contoureddispenser cover top 37 as seen in FIGS. 22 and 28 (concave contoureddispenser cover top) or FIG. 25 (convex contoured dispenser cover top).When contoured dispenser cover top 37 is used, the top is at leastpartly open and the product provided within the body is usuallysufficiently viscous or thick that it can be pushed through the holes orperforations 38 by manual operation of the product movement means 18,yet will not, on its own, flow out from holes or perforations 38. Inother words, product 21 is not a hard solid or a flowable liquid, but isa semi-solid that, under the impetus of manually operated productmovement means 18, will squeeze out holes 38 for application to the faceof the user. For example, a gel or a paste may be used, which gel orpaste will comprise product that sufficiently lubricates the skin forshaving purposes. Indeed, product 21 as solid (usually in open topcontainer) or semi-solid shave cream (usually used in partially opentop) has properties that provide sufficient lubrication for shaving, asin shaving with a straight razor 36. Products may be found in U.S. Pat.Nos. 4,950,094 and 5,174,992, which patents are incorporated herein byreference. Any suitable product may be used.

A container lid 12 has walls configured to removably engage an upperportion of container body 15, so as to removably cover the at leastpartially open top.

Applicant's novel container typically has a front label 14, and a rearlabel 20. The rear label typically may be placed over the mirror orreflective material 22 in a temporary fashion (to display ingredients,for example, then peeled off by the user to expose the mirror 22 orreflective material.

Front or back (rear) walls are typically flat, but may include a concave26 or convex 24 walls and either protrude 24 (FIG. 7) from the containeror be indented 26 (FIG. 6) into the container to engage. Mirror orreflective material 22 is attached to the container on these flatsurfaces or may be attached as in FIG. 5 with a water resistant adhesiveor other suitable means. The mirror may be non-fogging.

As seen in FIGS. 10-21 (container is a squeezable “tottle”), mirror 22may be removable (using a non-permanent pliable or releasable adhesive)and using indents 30 to pry off. Mirror 22 may be attached with adhesiveor snapped on with buttons molded into the plastic container 10.Container 10 may also contain a molded groove 32 or cutaway section 34or other suitable walls configured to removably hold a disposable razor36 or other shaving instrument. Container body 15 in FIGS. 10-15 isgenerally oval and may be squeezable to squeeze a flowable product outof an open top. Mirror 22 may be a solid, for example, acrylic memberwith a reflecting surface or a flexible reflective film, like Mylar,which will flex when squeezed, but reform to the flat wall surface whenreleased. Likewise, as seen in FIGS. 16-21, mirror 22 may engage a flatfront wall 14 a of a body 15 comprising a squeezable tube containing aflowable product 21. Disposable or other razor 36 may also engage thebody.

As seen in FIGS. 22, 23, 24, and 25, contoured dispenser top 37 isattached to the body of the container, or is molded as a part of thecontainer so as to be one part. This top is to be in contact with theskin and is meant to help spread the product, which may be a shavecream, gel or oil. It may be hard or firm plastic or a soft, silicone,rubber-like or other suitable material. It may include a texturedpattern to assist the spreading of the product. This contour is concaveso as to remain in contact with the user's face, head, leg, etc. Thematerial may be clear, patterned or solid colored.

Holes or perforations 38 are situated in a manner to assist the flow andspread of the product. They would also protect the product from thewater in a shower or bath environment.

Shaver holder 39, a pull down/snap closed, hinged-type loop assembly isbuilt into the top of the container 12. This may be molded into and aspart of the top or may be molded separately and attached via a hingebuilt into the top 12.

A small indent, finger indent 40, may be molded into the top 12 so theuser could use their fingernail to open the otherwise flush shaverholder 39.

Hole 41 for razor 36 may be round, square or other suitable shape. Thisis to place the shaver, so the shaver is held in proximity to thecontainer and is kept out of the water, which may be left pooled in theshower or bath.

FIGS. 26 and 27 illustrate another preferred alternate embodiment ofApplicant's device, here, having concave side walls 17/19 and thecontainer back wall having mirror 22 with container back label 20peelingly affixed thereto. Further, razor retainer means, here, anelastic band is engaged to wrap around the container and hold a razor 36against the container. Elastic band 48 is typically wide, for example,maybe ¼ inch to 1 inch in width. Moreover, a groove may be provided inone or more walls of body 15 for seating of the elastic band therein.For example, it is seen in FIG. 26 that a groove is provided to allowthe band to be seated beneath mirror 22, which is flush against exposedsurface of container back wall 20 a as the mirror is indented thereinand the indented channel carrying the elastic band is indented below therear surface of the mirror. Product 21 is seen to have an upper surface21 a that is concave and is solid, but will lubricate the surface of theface when applied thereto. Upper lip 23 of body 15 is also seen todefine a concave shape, at least in front and rear elevational views.FIGS. 26 and 28 also illustrate use of a hinged loop mechanism 50 forfolding from the non-use position, as seen in FIGS. 26 and 27, to a useposition where the element is hinged outward and capable of receivingthe handle of a razor in the loop thereof.

FIGS. 29, 30, and 31 illustrate further the views of an embodimenthaving curved side walls and an elastic band 48 for retainment of razor36 or other shaving instrument thereto. A suction cup 52 is provided,here, illustrated to be part of lid 12, but in other embodiments may beon the front or rear wall, usually whichever of the two walls does nothave the mirror. In FIG. 34, it may be seen that the suction cup 52 mayhold container 10 to a vertical support surface, such as a shower stall.In FIG. 34, the lid is right side up and the base is below it. However,in an alternate preferred embodiment, the body could be reversed 180° sogravity would tend to hold body 15 in lid 12. That is to say, thecontainer would be mounted upside down against a vertical supportsurface.

Typically, elements 48/52, which comprise means for retaining a razor tothe container, are used in the alternative. It may be seen withreference to FIGS. 22 and 23 that shaver holder 39, elastic band 48, andhinged foldout loop element 50 are structurally different, but aredesigned to achieve the same function, retaining razor 36 adjacentcontainer 10.

FIG. 28A illustrates the use of push plate 27 as known in the art ofdeodorant sticks, for example, but for use with Applicant's shave stickand product 21.

Although the invention has been described in connection with thepreferred embodiment, it is not intended to limit the invention'sparticular form set forth, but on the contrary, it is intended to coversuch alterations, modifications, and equivalences that may be includedin the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appendedclaims.

1. A shave system comprising: a container having a body with an upperlip defining an at least partly open top, a front wall, a rear wall, twoside walls, at least one wall which includes a generally flat portion,and a base, the container including an interior; a lid for removablyengaging the container walls so as to removably cover the at leastpartly open top; a product for at least partly engaging the interior ofthe body; and a mirror for engaging the generally flat portion of one ofthe front or rear walls of the body of the container.
 2. The shavesystem of claim 1, the container including product movement meansadapted to move product upwards in the interior of the body responsiveto manual operation.
 3. The shave system of claim 1, wherein the mirroris non-fogging.
 4. The shave system of claim 1, further including alabel dimensioned to removably cover at least part of the mirror.
 5. Theshave system of claim 4, wherein the label is a peel off label whichwill leave no residue on the mirror.
 6. The shave system of claim 1,wherein the product is a solid.
 7. The shave system of claim 6, whereinthe top is open and the product includes a concave upper surface.
 8. Theshave system of claim 1, wherein the upper lip includes concave walls.9. The shave system of claim 8, wherein the product is a solid; andwherein the top is open and the product includes a concave uppersurface.
 10. The shave system of claim 1, wherein the top includes aconcave cover having a multiplicity of openings therein.
 11. The shavesystem of claim 10, wherein the product is sufficiently viscous so asnot to flow through the cover openings except through manual operationof the product movement means.
 12. The shave system of claim 1, whereinthe product movement means is a push plate.
 13. The shave system ofclaim 1, wherein the product movement means includes a base plate, athreaded rod, and a knob.
 14. The shave system of claim 1, furtherincluding a member adapted to releasably engage the body or the lid to avertical wall.
 15. The shave system of claim 14, wherein the member is asuction cup.
 16. The shave system of claim 1, further including a razor.17. The shave system of claim 1, further including means to releasablyengage a razor.
 18. The shave system of claim 17, wherein the means toreleasably engage the razor is an elastic band.
 19. The shave system ofclaim 17, wherein the means to releasably engage the razor is a hingedloop.
 20. The shave system of claim 1, further including a razor; andfurther including means to releasably. engage a razor to the containerbody.
 21. The shave system of claim 1, wherein the side walls areconcave.
 22. The shave system of claim 1, wherein the body is plastic orsilicon.
 23. A shave system comprising: a container having a body withan upper lip defining an at least partly open top, a front wall, a rearwall, two side walls, one of which includes a generally flat portion,and a base, the container including an interior; a lid for removablyengaging the container walls so as to removably cover the at leastpartly open top; product movement means; a product for at least partlyengaging the interior of the body and the product movement means to moveupward in the body responsive to manual operation of the productmovement means; and a mirror for engaging the generally flat portion ofone of the front or rear walls of the body of the container, wherein themirror is non-fogging; further including a label dimensioned toremovably cover at least part of the mirror; wherein the label is a peeloff label which will leave no residue on the mirror; wherein the productis a solid; wherein the top is open and the product includes a concaveupper surface; and wherein the upper lip includes concave walls.
 24. Theshave system of claim 23, further including a member adapted toreleasably engage the body or the lid to a vertical wall.
 25. The shavesystem of claim 24, further including means to releasably engage arazor.
 26. A shave system comprising: a container having a body with anupper lip defining an at least partly open top, a front wall, a rearwall, two side walls, one of which includes a generally flat portion,and a base, the container including an interior; a lid for removablyengaging the container walls so as to removably cover the at leastpartly open top; product movement means; a product for at least partlyengaging the interior of the body and the product movement means to moveupward in the body responsive to manual operation of the productmovement means; and a mirror for engaging the generally flat portion ofone of the front or rear walls of the body of the container, wherein themirror is non-fogging; further including a label dimensioned toremovably cover at least part of the mirror; wherein the label is a peeloff label which will leave no residue on the mirror; wherein the topincludes a concave cover having a multiplicity of openings therein; andwherein the product is sufficiently viscous so as not to flow throughthe cover openings except through manual operation of the productmovement means.
 27. The shave system of claim 26, further including amember adapted to releasably engage the body or the lid to a verticalwall.
 28. The shave system of claim 27, further including means toreleasably engage a razor.